Advertising ideas for new Riding Stables

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KostaKlover

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Hi everyone,

Im looking for your ideas on advertising my new riding stables. We have been open in Ireland for a couple of months and have a small steady client base but I am looking to advertise and hopefully gain a few more clients. Has anyone got any good or inivative advertising ideas?

Any ideas would be much appriciated!!

Thank you in advance! :D
 
Thanks!

I have a facebook page for the yard, have to say it really is a brilliant way of advertising, ive gained a few clients from it. Now trying to think of some more new ways that aren't cliche...hoping to stand out from the crowd!! :D
 
When I was little my RS used to do own a pony/horse days or 3-5 day course which used to get lots of people involved. Do you hold the right insurance to hold shows or lease the land out for shows to be held by Riding Clubs? This can add to your Proffit margins x
 
KostaKlover said:
Thanks!

I have a facebook page for the yard, have to say it really is a brilliant way of advertising, ive gained a few clients from it. Now trying to think of some more new ways that aren't cliche...hoping to stand out from the crowd!! :D
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can you post the link so we can have a nose?
 
Does groupon cover Ireland?

If it does I know one of the riding schools local to me put an offer on through there which seemed like a clever way of marketing to people that they wouldn't usually be able to reach to me :)
 
Where are you located? are you near a beach or woodland? You could offer riding for those on holiday and in need of a horsey fix.

Offer 'own a pony days' for children and adults with lessons in stable management and riding lessons during the day - Easter school holidays are coming up so a good a time as any.

Also, if you have B&B's near by how about residential intensive riding lessons?

You could get a little more income from livery?
 
Get yourself on twitter and tweet any horsey pages or horsey people you can find and see if they will retweet a link to your webpage or something along those lines. You could tweet regular updates and may get followers who could then spread the word that way.

Or advertise on free websites, link to your fb page and twitter pages so people can have a nosey. Try and get one of your clients to put a review on any of the sites which have reviews of riding schools.

Hold an open day and advertise in the local horse related shops, eg feed stores/ tack shops, but also in local non horsey shops like the supermarkets or in newspapers to try and attract people who maybe haven't ridden before.
 
Polly Peewee said:
Does groupon cover Ireland?

If it does I know one of the riding schools local to me put an offer on through there which seemed like a clever way of marketing to people that they wouldn't usually be able to reach to me :)
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Be very careful with Groupon, a local to me riding school tried it and discovered that actually they had not thought about it enough, You need to restrict their vouchers use to off peak times, and to new customers, otherwise your current customers book with Groupon at your busy times, so you will loose revenue and not gain customers. Also Groupon tend to oversell any offers....

I would be more inclined to see if your local newspaper would offer a few free lessons as competition prizes.
Also offer your local Brownies Cubs and Guides the opportunity to do their Rider badge (quite cheaply) - advantage is these sessions can be run in their meeting times which tenmd to be 6-7pmish so usually a bit off peak after school time, and includes stable management as well as riding - one of our local riding schools does this and it really gets the kids hooked, lots sign up for more lessons (send them home at the end of the course with their rosettes and certificates with a money off voucher when booking 3 or more lessons).
You could also think about the other end of the market - the bored mums whose kids have started school and would perhaps like to get back into riding and offer a term time 'get back into riding ' by promoting it as a good form of exercise, this would help off peak!
 
If you're happy teaching children you could visit schools, leave leaflets for kids to take home to their parents and invite them to an open day to meet the ponies.
 
victoria1980x said:
can you post the link so we can have a nose?
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So sorry I havnt replied before now, technology and me dont go so well together! I thought I would get a notification if someone replied to my post so didnt check it until now!! I wont post link as dont want to get in trouble for advertising!! Yard is called Leastown Stables though so feel free to google!! :)
 
Thanks so much for all your ideas! I will definatly take them all onboard :) I did get in touch with groupon here in Ireland but they just messed me around a bit so Im not going to bother with them, took 3 months to return my phone call and another 2 to follow it up!! I do intend to offer livery in the future but one step at a time!! Definatly the route I want to take though :)
 
Does Ireland have the same school holidays as England, with the Feb half term coming up could you set up some 'own a pony' days where kids come all day and you get them to do your mucking out/ clean out water troughs, clean tack etc. I used to love those as a kid and my parents were happy to pay well for a full days childcare or 'introduction to ponies' half day type thing
Maybe advertise at local schools/ guides/ brownees/ kids clubs etc. where kids who might not have thought about riding might go and parents who are wondering what to do with them in half term might spot it.
 
Polos Mum said:
with the Feb half term coming up could you set up some 'own a pony' days where kids come all day and you get them to do your mucking out/ clean out water troughs, clean tack etc. I used to love those as a kid and my parents were happy to pay well for a full days childcare or 'introduction to ponies' half day type thing
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Great idea thank you. I loved that kind of thing when I was little too. I would quite happily spend all my time slaving away for nothing. School holidays definatly a starting point thanks!
 
Offer a free lesson to any existing customers who refer a new customer who books a block of say 5 lessons? Enough time for new customer to get hooked!
 
Facebook, twitter, local paper, an open day, do a "'inspired by the Olympics? Want to meet more people? Break the January blues? Come have a 30 min lesson for x amount (introductory offer) at y stables" offer and get it advertised everywhere (schools, tack shops, local paper(s), online etc :)


Maybe organise a coffee and ride session which might attract parents who have just dropped their kids off at school. A coffee club with a difference or something?
 
In the UK riding schools can become Pony Club Centres not sure if it is the same in Ireland but might worth a look. You then become part of the pony club for members who do not own their own pony but you have shows and do badges, camps and rallies etc. I know it works well over here.
 
Advertising on the H&H website costs money, so why not join their forum and stealth advertise by posting a 'how do I advertise my new riding stables' thread? :rolleyes:
 
TrakehnerFilly said:
Get yourself on twitter and tweet any horsey pages or horsey people you can find and see if they will retweet a link to your webpage or something along those lines. You could tweet regular updates and may get followers who could then spread the word that way.

Or advertise on free websites, link to your fb page and twitter pages so people can have a nosey. Try and get one of your clients to put a review on any of the sites which have reviews of riding schools.

Hold an open day and advertise in the local horse related shops, eg feed stores/ tack shops, but also in local non horsey shops like the supermarkets or in newspapers to try and attract people who maybe haven't ridden before.
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This!! All good ideas and especially Social Media. In my opinion - Twitter is a great networking tool for businesses. Look for any other equestrian businesses close to you and follow them, and encourage them to tweet you back by mentioning them in your own Tweets. Also, o Facebook, one of the best ways to grow participation and therefore increase the audience who see you, is to add photos....take photos in your lessons on on rides and get your clients to 'tag' themselves in them.

You could also run Facebook promotions....I.e run a photo competition, with the best photo winning a free riding lesson?
 
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